Arsenal legend Ian Wright has given his verdict on the impact summer signing Kai Havertz can have at the Emirates Stadium this season.
Arsenal spent £65 million to prise Kai Havertz away from Chelsea this summer. Much has been made of the deal to bring the German to north London.
The sheer talent possessed by Havertz is beyond doubt, but he struggled to consistently impress during his time at Stamford Bridge. There were flashes of quality and triumphant moments, including when he scored the winner for the Blues in a Champions League final. All in all, though, his time with Chelsea must be considered a disappointment.
However, there were factors behind his struggles at Chelsea that Arsenal are banking on being able to remedy.
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There was plenty of chaos and upheaval at Chelsea throughout his time with the club, and he was regularly deployed as a striker in a role that doesn’t best suit his natural abilities. Mikel Arteta will be looking to provide a more compatible environment to coax the best out of Havertz.
At his best, the 24-year-old can be a match-winning influence. It is just a case of making him fit neatly into a team that is set up in a way that is conducive to his talents.
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In that regard, Harvertz is most likely to feature as part of a midfield trio, more often than not, for the Gunners. He is expected to play alongside club captain Martin Odegaard in an attacking midfield role. This will allow the 37-cap Germany international to make late runs into the box and indulge his creative instincts.
Ian Wright believes this could be a recipe for success for his former club. Speaking on The Kelly and Wrighty Show, he said, “obviously, we don’t need him as a number nine, but I know that he’s somebody that if he can crash the box, I believe that he’s going to cause a lot of problems for teams and for us.”
Arteta will be hoping that Havertz does cause plenty of problems for opposition defences this season, as well as selection headaches for himself, with Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard also vying for his place in the team.